Robotics Control & Systems Engineer (Robot Control, Motion & Systems Integration)

LAYERED GmbH seeks a Robotics Control & Systems Engineer in Zürich to design control algorithms for mobile manipulators that plaster and finish surfaces on construction sites.

As the company scales its fleet of autonomous plastering robots from early pilots to broader deployment, this position focuses on the core motion and stability of the systems. The engineer will define how the robots move, coordinating the interaction between robotic arms and mobile bases while ensuring precise trajectory tracking and robust performance on physical hardware.

Responsibilities

• Develop advanced control strategies, including model predictive, whole-body, and optimization-based methods, for mobile manipulators.
• Synchronize the movement of robotic arms, mobile platforms, and other actuated components.
• Enhance trajectory tracking accuracy, system stability, and overall responsiveness.
• Create and maintain kinematic and dynamic models that underpin the control logic.
• Implement and integrate control modules within the ROS 2 ecosystem.
• Perform tuning and validation directly on physical robots rather than relying solely on simulation.
• Connect control software with actuators, motors, drives, encoders, and various sensors.
• Troubleshoot complex issues spanning timing, communication, mechanics, and control layers.
• Transition the platform from prototype stage to a reliable, repeatable operational system.
• Conduct testing in laboratory settings and during select construction-site deployments.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in robotics, control engineering, autonomous systems, electrical engineering, computer science, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of two years of professional experience delivering robust, production-ready code for real-world systems.
• Solid understanding of robot kinematics, dynamics, and control theory.
• Proven track record of designing and implementing control algorithms for robotic or mechatronic devices.
• Proficiency in C++ and Python programming.
• Hands-on experience with ROS or ROS 2 frameworks.
• Practical background in deploying, tuning, and debugging algorithms on actual robots or physical hardware.
• Strong grasp of coordinate frames, transforms, state estimation, and trajectory execution.
• Fluent English communication skills.
• Valid Swiss or EU driving license.
• Eligibility to work in Switzerland with a valid Swiss work permit.
• Willingness to work on-site with full-scale robots in industrial and construction environments.

Nice to have

• Prior experience with model predictive, whole-body, or optimization-based control techniques.
• Background working with mobile manipulators and coordinated arm-and-base motion.
• Experience in real-time robotic control and trajectory tracking.
• Familiarity with OCS2, Pinocchio, CasADi, Drake, or similar frameworks.
• Experience integrating motors, drives, encoders, sensors, and industrial communication systems.
• German language proficiency.

What the company offers

• Immediate visibility of results as advanced control algorithms run on full-scale mobile manipulators.
• Ownership of a significant portion of the control and motion architecture.
• Collaboration with electrical, mechanical, and software engineers in a cross-functional team.
• Opportunity to shape technology, development processes, and on-site usage within a focused deep-tech team.

About the company

LAYERED GmbH, spun out of ETH Zurich’s Gramazio Kohler Research, transforms construction’s most difficult and least-automated trades into precise, autonomous robotic work. The company has developed a full-scale mock-up construction site in its lab and is expanding its pilot programs across Europe, serving clients in Switzerland and France.

• The company values depth, pragmatism, and hands-on debugging across disciplines.
• The team investigates the whole system when things misbehave rather than assuming the bug belongs to one discipline.